This takes place during/after season four when St. John and the others took over the Airwolf missions.
Closure
Caitlin peered out of the airplane window at the mountains below. The sun was rising and it was a breathtaking site. It was one she hadn't seen in quite some time. She had almost reached her destination when suddenly her nerves got the best of her. She felt a bit nauseated and decided to snack on the crackers they'd given her on the flight in order to help ease the queasiness.
It had been two years since she left Santini Air and the men who she had grown to call family. She loved them both dearly but she had decided it was time to move on with her life. She had met a new guy and followed him to a job in Florida. Once gone, she never looked back. That was, until now.
A lone tear fell down her cheek as she thought of the man who was like a second father to her. Dom was gone now. He was killed in an explosion that also critically injured String. She regretted not making it back for the funeral but she felt her heart couldn't take coming back. The pain and the memories had become too much for her.
Her life had changed so much since she left. She eventually broke up with the man she moved to Florida with and started her own business. Times were tough but she trudged through them, hoping that one day she'd find happiness again.
Caitlin took deep breaths as she got off of the plane and headed towards the baggage claim. She watched as the bags slowly revolved around the belt until her suitcase came into sight. She quickly walked over and picked it up before turning towards the door.
That's when she saw him. He smiled at her and she couldn't help but to give him a smile back. He looked better than she had imagined. He walked towards her with a slight limp and the use of cane. She sat her suitcase down before giving him a tight hug.
"You look great," she replied with a nervous smile.
"So do you," he replied. "Are you ready to go? I have a helicopter to take us out."
"Are we doing it now?" she asked surprised.
"Well, yeah," he replied. "I just thought it was time. It's been too long of a wait as it is."
"Okay," she replied as she followed him out to the other side of the airport where they boarded the helicopter.
Once inside, he reached over and handed her the urn, causing chills to run through her.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine," she lied.
"I'm not either," he admitted. "This is harder than I thought it would be."
Caitlin sighed as tears welled up in her eyes. "I guess I thought that by staying away I could make it not true. Now, it's just all so real."
Within the hour Caitlin found herself flying over the Pacific Ocean and finally landing on a small little deserted island. "Why are we landing here?" she asked.
"He always said he wanted his ashes spread out into the ocean and I thought it would be easier to do it this way rather than dump it from the helicopter," he told her.
Caitlin climbed out of the helicopter and took in the sites. The little island was nothing but a mere sand barge with sand that was whiter than she'd ever seen before. Shells covered one half of it and seaweed the other. The water gently brushed against the small shoreline as they walked over to it.
"This is perfect," she said as the ocean air gently blew her hair into her face. She then thought about the time she'd been gone. "I'm really sorry that I didn't come back sooner. Thanks for including me. I'm glad I came."
"I'm glad you came too," he admitted. "I couldn't do this without you."
Caitlin smiled as she handed him back the urn. "Here, I think you should do it," she told him.
Slowly he opened it up, his hands slightly shaking. Together they said short prayer before pouring the contents into the ocean.
Afterwards they sat down on the sand and watched as the waves moved in and out and the dolphins played along the shoreline. He put his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him.
"I really loved him," she admitted as she leaned her head on his shoulder.
"He loved you too," he replied. "He would've understood why you stayed away. I don't blame you either."
Caitlin pulled away and stood up, heading back to the helicopter. "Let's go," she suggested.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"Everything," she said with a slight sob. "Please, just get me out of here."
"I got you a hotel room for the night," he told her. "Would you like to go there?"
She stared at him a moment. "I'd really like to go up to the cabin," she replied softly. "If that's an option?"
"Are you sure?" he asked.
"Yes, please," she replied. "I'd really like to go now."
The two climbed back into the helicopter and headed up to String's cabin. She nearly shuddered as they grew closer and landed on the dock. Memories flooded over her and nearly became too much for her to handle. She grabbed an airsick bag and dry heaved into it.
"I think you're dehydrated," he told her. "Come on. Let's go in and get you something."
"Okay," she replied while slightly shaking. He took her by the arm and escorted her up to the cabin door. Noticing how pale she was, he helped her sit down on the cabin steps.
"I'm really sorry Caitlin," he told her. "I didn't know this would be so hard on you."
"It's not your fault," she replied. "I needed closure. I can't go on with my life without it. It's too hard."
After going inside for a few minutes, he came back out with a glass of water that Caitlin readily drank down.
"Thanks," she replied. "I'm sorry if I'm acting like some kind of baby."
"You should have seen me right after it happened," he replied while trying to lighten the mood. "Biggest baby you've ever seen."
Caitlin stood up and walked back towards the dock.
"Where are you doing?" he asked.
"I think we should go," she replied. "It was a mistake to come here. I'm sorry."
"No," he said flatly.
"What do you mean by no?" she asked. "You do know that I am capable of flying out of here too?"
"Of course I do," he replied as he walked over to her and put his hand on the side of her face, brushing it gently across her cheek line. "But now that you're here, there is no way in hell I'm letting you walk out of here without hearing what I have to say."
"He's gone," she replied. "Airwolf's gone. What's left?"
"Me," he replied flatly. "I'm left and I can't get past the fact that I love you so much it hurts."
Caitlin couldn't help but to be shocked by his comment. "What?" she asked softly.
"I love you," Hawke continued. "Focusing on you is what helped me pull through after that explosion. I worked day in and day out in therapy to walk again because I couldn't imagine not being able to fly again with you by my side."
Caitlin came back and sat back down on the steps. Her inability to respond worried him. Finally she stood back up and moved to him, wrapping her arms around him tightly. "I love you too," she replied. "But we both know it would never work out."
"No, I don't know that," he replied. "I love you and I want you in my life. I don't want to ever let you go again. I know you feel the same way. I see it in your eyes."
"I do," she whispered back, burying her head in his shoulder.
Hawke held her tightly until her sobs subsided. She had started to pull away when he grabbed her arms and pulled her back to him. Slowly he reached in and kissed her, his mind taking him back to the first time they kissed. He knew then that there was something special about her. If only he'd followed his heart instead of his head.
When they parted, he gently wiped the tears from her face. "Can we start over?" he asked. "I know the life we had together before is gone and there's no Airwolf now. But, I think together we can still find some exciting things to do."
Caitlin laughed. "I guess I always was looking for excitement."
Hawke chuckled. "I'll admit that I wasn't always sure that you stuck around for us or that helicopter," he replied.
"The helicopter," she replied with a smirk. "Actually, I came for the helicopter but I stayed for the two best friends I've ever had in my life."
The End
I'm still working on my longer story but I just had this in my head and decided to write it down.